In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Private home
Studio Talk
Palos Verdes Estates, California, 90274
United States

Bill Brand

Bill Brand is currently serving as the 30th Mayor of the City of Redondo Beach, having first won in March 2017, and re-elected for another four-year term as Mayor in 2021. Mayor Brand began his public service career in 2009 when he was first elected to the Redondo Beach City Council on a slow growth platform representing the waterfront district. He was successfully re-elected in 2013 for another 4 years as council member. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from California State University, Long Beach and a Master’s in Business Administration at USC, with a concentration in Finance. He worked as an engineer for Fluor Corporation in Irvine, CA and for American Airlines as a Crew Chief for over 40 years. Bill was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer in June, 2019, after suffering a seizure on a flight to Mexico. Cancer had already spread to his brain, back and lymph nodes. He considers himself lucky to have the love and support of his family, friends and community to successfully battle this disease. Bill is very happily married to Deirdre Brand.

Carmen Zella

A visionary and thought leader, Carmen aspires to democratize artistic experiences. Her progressive approach intersects art, architecture, technology and culture. Carmen’s portfolio of highly visible artworks across a spectrum of platforms includes: LUMINEX: Dialogues of Light; the renowned Liquid Shard in downtown Los Angeles’ Pershing Square; the revitalization of the Triforium, recipient of the LA2050 grant; the activation of the historical air-raid sirens for the LA Philharmonic's production of War of the Worlds; and the cultural murals at La Plaza Village, winner of the Building Team of the Year Award from the American Institute of Architects LA.

Corinne Heyning Laverty

Corinne Heyning Laverty is the author of North America’s Galapagos: The Historic Channel Islands Biological Survey (University of Utah Press, 2020). During the pandemic, Corinne collaborated with Road Scholar in developing a virtual Channel Islands National Park travel program for which she is the lead instructor. She is a member of the Board of Trustees, Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, a research associate and fellow at the Natural History Museum, Los Angeles County, an associate of the Santa Cruz Island Foundation, and a member of the All Eight Club, a geographic organization that tracks the people who have ever set foot on all eight Channel Islands. Corinne retired from MUFG Union Bank, N.A., where she spent most of her banking career as Director and Senior Vice President. Prior conservation related positions include: member, Board of Directors Aquarium of the Pacific (general member and finance committee), Vice Chair, Marine Conservation Research Institute, Co-Chair, Trustees of the Pacific, president American Cetacean Society Los Angeles Chapter and member of its National Board of Directors. Her published work has appeared in Lonely Planet, Western North American Naturalist, Eco Traveler, WhaleWatcher, Pacific Currents and Hippocampus Magazine, among other publications. Corinne holds a B.S. in Business from the University of Virginia and a M.B.A. from the University of Southern California. She is happily married and has four adult children.

Daniela Zappador Guerra

Daniela Zappador Guerra is an adjunct lecturer of Italian for the George L. Graziadio Center for Italian Studies at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), in the department of Romance, German, Russian Languages and Literatures (RGRLL), where she has been teaching for sixteen years. She is a native of Torino, Piemonte, Italy, and moved in the US in 1997. She earned her MA in Classics at Università degli Studi di Torino, and taught Italian and Latin in high school for ten years. She received the annual Road Scholar Award in 2012, and, in 2016, the CSULB Lecturer Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award. She is the co-author of Juntos, the Italian grammar for English and Spanish Speakers published by Hackett Publishing, in use in the Italian Language courses for Spanish speakers of her University, and the author of Imitazioni” – Piccolo Laboratorio di poesia per praticare l’Italiano, published online by Redshelf.com. Daniela speaks Italian, English, French, and Spanish. Her husband is Italian as well, and her daughters are bilingual. She writes poetry, novels and screenplays.